Additional Information about 201 Stainless Steel

At Combined Metals of Chicago (CMC), we strive to stay at the cutting edge of technology and practices so we can always deliver the best quality stainless steel products that you need for your business.

About Stainless Steel

Stainless steel cannot really be called stainless. It would be more accurate to say that it can stain less than other steels. The reason for this qualification is that stainless steel contains a minimum of 11% Chromium, which allows it to be resistant to rust.

There are various types of stainless steel, each with a set of unique qualities and composition. The chemical composition of the stainless steel determines properties such as strength, hardness, and how magnetic the material is.

You may hear people referring to stainless steel using certain terms and not be exactly clear on their meaning. For more clarification, here are the different categories.

Ferritic – Ferritic stainless steel is magnetic and has a low Carbon count.

Austenitic – this kind of stainless steel is non-magnetic and is a Chromium-Nickel steel like 201, 304, & 316.

Martensitic – this stainless steel is rarely used. It is magnetic and low amounts of Carbon with low levels of Nickel and 12 percent Chromium.

Uses of Stainless Steel 201

Stainless steel grade 201 is a mid-range product typically found in appliances, cookware, sinks, kitchen utensils, and food service equipment. It is also found in automotive parts and clamps as well as railroad cars, and window trim. Its structural integrity and makeup make it ideal for uses in these industries. It tends to not be a good choice, however, for outdoor structural use, because it is susceptible to pitting and crevice corrosion from certain elements like salt water.

Properties of Type 201 Steel (aka T201, type 201 and grade 201)

An austenitic, non-magnetic, stainless steel 201 has the following composition.

It is Chromium (16% – 18%), and Nickel (3.5% – 5.5%). It contains higher amounts of Manganese (5.5%-7.5%) and Nitrogen, and lower amounts of Nickel than type 304 steel.

Increasing costs and the high volatility of Nickel have made Type 201 stainless steel increasingly attractive for certain stainless steel end products. In most applications, there is no loss in resistance to corrosion.

Processing & Forming 201 Stainless Steel

At CMC, we use type 201 stainless steel that has been formed and drawn. Type 201 has a high work-hardening rate that often requires intermediate annealing. It can be welded, however, by all standard methods used for higher (18%) Chromium and (8%) Nickel stainless steels.

We are careful not to use stainless steel where inter-granular corrosion has impacted the head zone due to a Carbon content exceeding 0.03%. Type 201 stainless steel cannot be hardened using thermal treatment. It can be cold worked, however, to high tensile strengths.

Also note that stainless steel 201 is essentially nonmagnetic in the annealed condition and becomes magnetic when cold worked.

Combined Metals of Chicago is committed to fostering a business environment of integrity and respect for our employees, vendors, and customers. Our customers are the reason that we are in business. We are dedicated to supplying you, our customer, with the best product value and on time delivery as well as outstanding customer service. Whatever your needs for stainless steel, we will deliver the product you need, the way you need it, to help you achieve your objectives. Contact us to learn more.